More and more people are finding that as they age they are developing lumps and bumps under the skin. These are generally not pimples or pustules, but do cause concern nonetheless.

There are two potential causes of these lumps and bumps.

The first relates to the quality of dietary fats and oils being consumed. Heating, hydrogenation and other treatments will change their properties, including their viscosity, fluidity and motility and will impact on their ability to migrate beyond the sebaceous glands to the surface of the skin. Any blockage will cause a sebaceous plug to form. Natural saturated fats will be far more resistant to the degradation that leads to such blockages, whilst polyunsaturates will be the most susceptible. Internal antioxidants do help prevent further post-consumption degradation.

The best ways to get rid of these plugs would be to wash the face with warm to hot water, and then to use the appropriate toner. The essential oils in the toner, being natural solvents, will further dissolve the warmed and softened sebum plug and the astringency of the toner will activate constricting the portals and the pores, causing the plug to migrate to the surface.

Another cause of lumps and bumps may be increased dryness that is hormonally linked or due to a slowdown in the cell turnover rate that that leads to a build up of dead and damaged cells. Natural oils become trapped and infected causing the inflammation (lumps). By removing the layers of dead and damaged cells, natural oils are free to pass to the surface, and this can alleviate the problem.

It is important in situations like these not to dry your skin out further. Use products that are appropriate to your skin type. I would advise having a look at What Products to Choose: Quick Reference Guide and then to choose products that are suitable for your skin type. If you have any concerns or are unsure, please don't hesitate to contact us.